What the heck is eating my Berghia?

[dadadokie]

Hi all! As stated, I think something is eating all my poor berghia. I’ve got a 29g mixed reef with an ever growing aiptasia problem so I got me some nudi’s, 10 to be exact. Now, this is actually my second time buying berghia because my first 6 all appear to have gone missing. Not like “oh yeah berghia go hide and breed” missing but more of “uh I think these guys got wrecked somewhere.”
My stock:
Mandarin dragonet
2 clowns
1 possum wrasse
2 cleaner shrimp
1 hector’s goby

I didn’t do the best job adding them the first time. Introduced during daytime with the upside down cup method but I didn’t turn the power heads off. I know at least 3 made it onto the rock but the others could’ve been swept away. This time I was a lot more careful. I added the nudi’s at night; turned off my power heads and gently pipetted them up and put em in a nice crevice with aiptasia on the other side. They looked great and immediately laid some spirals!
Cut to now, 5 days later. Originally they were all in their HQ together but have now all disappeared from that spot; even though they’ve all been there this whole time. Worse yet… I’ve noticed a couple egg spirals missing. So someone is certainly having a go at those. I have quite the population of amphipods, copepods, bristle worms, limpets, starfish, and snails (no hermits or crabs). I suspect amphipods or the worms as they parole my rock every night. My shrimp, maybe, but I’ve noticed they seem to just meander around at night and don’t hang out near the nudi HQ. My wrasse has definitely seen some nudi’s passing by as the lights turn on but luckily hasn’t shown interest. It hasn’t been very long at all but given my last experience I’m worried they’ve got too many mini predators in the tank… Thoughts?
Bonus: my little infected reef haha.

 

[Rmckoy]

My bet is the possum wrasse

 

[dadadokie]

My bet is the possum wrasse

It wouldn’t surprise me. My only reason for doubt there is I’ve watched him pass by a couple nudi’s in the open and doesn’t acknowledge them. But yeah wrasses do be shopping

 

[DHill6]

Goby, I had to rehome one who was getting fat on berghia

 

[dadadokie]

Goby, I had to rehome one who was getting fat on berghia

Even though he’s a Hector’s? Now that would be a shock. I’ve never even seen this guy eat mysis, only algae. This certainly isn’t looking good as my predator list is only growing lol.

 

[Wasabiroot]

My wrasse has definitely seen some nudi’s passing by as the lights turn on but luckily hasn’t shown interest

Your wrasse when you walk away lol

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

My bet is the possum wrasse

Second this.

 

[DHill6]

I skimmed the thread too fast, mine wasn’t a hector. I also purchased it to help eat algae but he seemed to like reef frenzy frozen and pods instead. Rehomed when my berghia were disappearing. He was a fat court jester. Once gone the Berghia lasted. Just my experience with the berghia issue.

Even though he’s a Hector’s? Now that would be a shock. I’ve never even seen this guy eat mysis, only algae. This certainly isn’t looking good as my predator list is only growing lol.

 

[dadadokie]

Your wrasse when you walk away lol

God probably. Pinky is ruining the whole operation. Hard to be mad at that face though!

 

[dadadokie]

A small win is there is indeed still a nest at HQ. Probably 8 spirals now and spotted a nudi in a rock nearby. With that said, Pinky will probably be waiting at sunrise for his 5-star breakfast at this rate lol. The aiptasia reign continues…
I’ll give an update for science if things turn out differently. Go ahead and pour one out for the homies though!

 

[Jmp998]

I would be more concerned about the shrimp. They are active at night same as Berghia, I believe your wrasse sleeps at night when the Berghia are out feeding?

 

[dadadokie]

I would be more concerned about the shrimp. They are active at night same as Berghia, I believe your wrasse sleeps at night when the Berghia are out feeding?

Definitely, as soon as it gets dark the wrasse is gone. He’s also up early though so I could imagine some stragglers getting caught. My shrimp are very active during the daytime and seem to mellow out at night; I haven’t seen them posted at HQ either. Hard to imagine any shrimp passing up the slowest meals on wheels ever though.